Goblin Maid, Young Master Ch. 01

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North200
North200
475 Followers

"You seem to have overslept this morning," Master said in a quiet, serious tone. "And forgotten your manners as well."

Ree's shoulders sagged at the reprimand. It had been more than a week since her last scolding and it was awful to be on the receiving end of Master's displeasure once again.

"And I notice your dinner was uneaten. I told you not to skip any more meals."

Master's words made her hurt in a strange way, inside her chest. She'd wondered many times how mere words from him could make the inside of her body feel good or bad. Right then it was hurting terribly, and wished she knew what to do to make it stop.

"Yes Master," she mumbled, with a halfhearted curtsy.

He sighed, and when he spoke again his voice was gentle. "Go and eat breakfast - a big one. My coach leaves before noon."

**

As Ree watched Master's coach disappear into the distance, her fear steadily increased until she was rigid with panic. Edward stood next to her on the front steps, not touching her but close enough to do so if he wanted to.

With Master gone, she realized suddenly that she didn't know what to do. For four years she'd arranged her life around Master's patterns and routines, and without him she felt adrift in time. She knew she could only stand on the front steps for so long, and then what?

She dreaded the idea of being alone in the house with Edward for three months and considered fleeing to the barn where Freida lived. The Ogress would be out with the sheep or cows just now but Ree could wait for her to return.

"What would you enjoy for dinner tonight, Ree?" Edward asked in a tone that sounded light and not threatening. She continued to stare into the distance rather than risk looking in his direction.

Another hard question! How to answer? Did he want her to list all the things she enjoyed eating? Did he want her to name something she thought he would enjoy? Maybe she should just name the same thing they'd eaten the night before - Edward had seemed to enjoy the beef stew. The question had any number of answers...

"Whatever you choose, Edward," she said, too nervous to curtsy yet careful to use the name he preferred. She didn't want to start things off being disobedient.

"Well...how about chicken and vegetables? No need to go to a lot of trouble, right?"

She nodded her agreement.

"What do you usually get up to in the afternoons?"

Ree's shoulders slumped a little as she wondered how many more questions he was likely to ask. Master did not ask many questions. Ree liked that.

She tried to wait the question out, but soon realized she'd need to give an answer. She took her time arranging the words in her mind.

"Master sits in the sun room...I bring him tea and biscuits. Master sits at his desk...I bring him bread and fruit preserves. Master says to cook dinner and I go to the kitchen," she said.

She could see his smile from the corner of her eye. It relaxed her a little, made her feel warmer somehow.

"Sounds like you work very hard! I brought plenty to read, so why not take the afternoon off and do something you enjoy?"

She nodded, hopeful that the questions were drawing to an end.

And then he touched her again, his hand on her shoulder, resting there briefly and giving a gentle pat. She inhaled sharply and tried not to yelp. Lust-fear returned in a rush, smashing her thoughts to pieces.

"Enjoy your afternoon, Ree. I'll call out when it's time to get dinner ready," he said, his voice close to her ear, making her feel warm and shivery. Then he turned and left her on the steps by herself.

**

Humans were particular about smells. It was a Human Rule that no one should smell the way they truly do. Sometimes Master invited guests who smelled strongly of flowers, or cinnamon, or vanilla. Master preferred to smell like nothing, and insisted that Ree smell like nothing as well. For that reason, bathing had become a habit.

Winter bathing was awful, accomplished quickly on the icy back porch with a bucket and a cloth. But in the summer, bathing was much nicer. There was a deep, slow-flowing river that ran through Master's estate and in the summer the water was the right temperature for swimming. There were frogs and snakes and all manner of insects too; it was entertaining to try and catch them even if she wasn't allowed to eat any. Best of all was the overhanging tree branch from which she could jump into the water.

And that was what she did for much of the afternoon; climb and jump and chase everything in sight, blissfully free of the constricting clothing she wore all day and night.

It was late in the afternoon as she was letting the sun dry her on a rock near the river that she noticed something odd about her right hand. It took a moment for the realization to strike her - the ring was gone! The silver ring that Master had given her a year ago. The ring he'd warned her gravely NEVER to take off, even for a moment. Gone!

She jumped to her feet and looked left and right. It was nowhere to be seen. She crawled along the riverbank, searching very carefully. No ring. She climbed into the tree and looked down into the deep river. The water was clear but Ree couldn't see to the bottom. When she jumped in, her feet didn't even touch the riverbed. She was shaking in fear by the time she swam back to the bank. If the ring was at the bottom of the river she'd never find it.

Maybe she could ask Freida - the Ogress was more than double Ree's height and would surely be able to touch the bottom. Freida would have finished with the sheep and cows by now, so it was the perfect time to ask.

She dashed in the direction of Freida's barn and was halfway there when she remembered she'd left her clothes and shoes hanging from a tree branch next to the river. She decided to keep going anyway. Humans only liked to see faces and hands; Human Rules required everything else to be covered at all times. But Master was away and Freida wasn't a human so Ree figured it would be okay just this once.

She burst into the barn to find her friend eating a beef leg that was at least the size of Ree herself.

"What happened?" Freida bellowed.

"I lost the ring! Master will be so displeased...he told me never to remove it!" Ree looked at her hand again, hoping that perhaps she was having a nightmare and the ring had somehow reappeared. But her finger was bare; the ring was truly gone.

"How did you lose it?"

Ree told the Ogress about her afternoon by the river.

"Master will be terribly upset. He will yell at me...he will hit me!" she moaned.

"You said Master is kind. He will not hit you," Freida said.

"Remember when I ate his cat?"

It still didn't make sense that she could eat pigs, rabbits and goats but not cats. Nevertheless, the painful lesson remained fresh in her memory, even years later.

"That was long ago. You were new then. Master will not hit you. Losing the ring was an accident."

Ree paced back and forth as visions of a horrible future ran through her mind.

"And now the Mating Heat will come again. I will become..." She tried to remember the word Master had used. "...Uncontrollable. I will not be a proper housemaid."

"I will find the ring," Freida announced, then stood and took another bite of meat. "Show me where you lost it."

Ree raced back to the river, with Freida shambling behind, pausing for more mouthfuls. By the time they reached the river the beef leg was mostly stripped of flesh and Freida tossed it aside.

Ree quickly gestured to the area where she suspected the ring might lie. Just then, she heard Edward calling her from the house, summoning her to begin the dinner. She looked in the direction of the house, then back at the river, sorely tempted to ignore the summons altogether. But when Edward called a second time she reluctantly pulled her clothes on and slipped into her shoes.

"I have to go," Ree said in an unhappy tone.

"I will find the ring," Freida repeated.

Ree turned and ran in the direction of the house, before Edward could call a third time.

**

Edward had told her to prepare dinner for two and to set two places at the table, which meant he was expecting company.

Ree didn't like when other people came to the house. Humans were not fond of goblins and said mean things to her or looked at her with unkind eyes. Master told her to ignore them and focus on doing her job, and she always did her best to obey him. But she didn't like visitors anyway.

Cooking for two wasn't much harder than cooking for just one, but the loss of the ring made it hard for Ree to concentrate on what she was doing. She kept imagining what Master would say to her when he found out it was gone. He'd be displeased, perhaps angry! Even though he wasn't coming back for three months, she was already dreading the reprimand she'd surely receive.

Setting the dinner table was a skill that had taken a long time to learn. There were a lot of pieces that needed to be set, and different ones might be used in different places depending on what she was serving for dinner - and even on what order she was serving it. It didn't make any sense that so many utensils were needed to eat food, but it was just another Human Rule she'd learned to accept. Humans did so many strange things.

Edward had her serve the food before his guest arrived. It seemed silly to put a plate full of food in front of an empty chair, but she knew better than to question The Young Master. She served him and then the empty chair and filled both glasses with white wine before stepping back and smoothing down her dress. She kept her eyes averted, watching him only discreetly.

"I was hoping you'd join me tonight, Ree," he said, his voice light.

Ree didn't understand what he meant and continued to stand attentively. She listened for any sound from the front door that would indicate the arrival of a guest. It would be her job to greet the guest, offer to take its coat, then escort it to the dining room.

Edward hadn't started eating yet, and Ree hoped she hadn't made a mistake with the food or the table setting. As was her habit, she walked through the steps in her mind, trying to figure out if she'd missed one.

"Ree, please sit down and eat with me." Edward pointed to the empty chair.

Ree looked at the chair, puzzled and a little alarmed by the unfamiliar command. She looked back at him uncertainly, meeting his eyes only briefly before looking away.

"Sit down on the chair. The food's getting cold." He pointed again.

She almost protested that Master would disapprove but didn't want to appear disobedient or difficult. Master had told her that Edward was in charge and that Ree should listen closely and obey.

Reluctantly she climbed up onto the wooden chair - the first time she'd ever sat at the dinner table. Ree was careful not to look directly into Edward's eyes - something about them still filled her with lust-fear. The plate was at shoulder height while she was sitting. She sat very still with her hands in her lap. She hoped Edward would start eating soon and stop thinking of new things.

"Eat," he said.

Ree stared at the assortment of silverware that surrounded the plate. She knew what they were called and where to place them, but she'd never actually used any of them. She always ate with her hands in the kitchen after The Master's meal was done.

She could feel Edward's eyes on her and didn't want to appear troublesome, so she raised one hand and reached for the silverware...but which one? Her hand was having trouble deciding and hovered over each one in turn. She was certain she'd be chided if she chose the wrong one, and after Master leaving and then losing the ring, she didn't want any more unpleasantness that day.

Finally she lowered her hand to her lap again and stared glumly at the plate of food. Perhaps if she was still and waited very quietly Edward would start eating and forget about this new idea. She wasn't hungry anyway.

She felt his eyes on her for a few moments longer, then he suddenly stood up. She tensed and darted a quick look at the doorway, ready to flee, but didn't move from her seat.

He lifted his plate and with one sweep of his forearm he sent his silverware clattering to the wooden floor, along with his napkin and the lace-trimmed place mat. Thankfully his wine was still undisturbed - that would have been an awful mess to clean! He set his plate back down on the table and stepped close to Ree's chair. She tried to make herself smaller, scared by this bizarre behaviour. But he didn't touch her; he lifted her plate and soon her silverware and linens joined his on the floor. The plates and wine glasses were all that remained on the table.

He sat back in his chair, and she could see from the corner of her eye he was smiling.

"Now, eat with me," he said, then seized the chicken in his bare hand, raised it to his mouth and bit off a piece.

Ree gaped at him despite her resolve not to stare. As she watched, he grabbed a handful of beans with his other hand and stuffed them into his half-full mouth, chewing noisily and looking back at her with eyes that looked...happy?

He was eating like a goblin! She hadn't realized that humans could be so sensible!

"Eat," he grunted, gesturing to her plate with a fistful of chicken.

Ree tentatively plucked a potato chunk from the plate with her fingers and popped it into her mouth. It tasted delicious, and reminded her that she really was hungry after all. Edward merely grunted his approval and stuffed more chicken into his mouth.

Goblin-type eating was okay! Ree moved her face closer to the plate and began stuffing food into her mouth with both hands, swallowing it partially-chewed. Edward copied her posture and soon the food was disappearing rapidly amid grunts, wet chewing sounds and a flurry of crumbs and food bits.

Edward grabbed his wine glass with a greasy hand and took a sip. Ree seized her glass in two hands and drained it in big gulps. She'd never had wine before - Master had strictly forbidden it - but the Goblin Rules were simple: find something edible and put in in your mouth. The drink tasted bitter and terribly sour, but goblin wisdom was 'if you can taste it, you're not eating fast enough'.

Dinner was over a few minutes after it started; Ree's plate was empty and she was crunching and sucking on the chicken bones while Edward was still finishing his potatoes and only half-done his wine. The table top was a mess, and Ree absently picked stray crumbs off the surface and popped them in her mouth.

She felt...not scared. There was no lust-fear at all now. She was...warm. Uncomfortably warm. She decided to get some water, but as she slid off the chair she found she couldn't keep her balance and stumbled forward, slamming her head into the table edge. Surprisingly, it wasn't so much painful as disorienting. And the warmth increased by the moment. She collapsed to the floor; her legs had forgotten how to walk. The room seemed to be moving on its own, spinning.

Then Edward was beside her, pressing a napkin to her forehead where she had banged it. And he was touching her, scooping her into his arms and carrying her. She hadn't been carried in years and it felt strange to be moving without her feet on the ground. Distantly she thought she should be terrified, being pressed against Edward's chest and having his arms under her knees and shoulder blades, but it seemed too unreal to be truly scary.

He set her gently on a sofa in the reading room. She'd never been up on the sofa before and wondered absently how Master would feel about it. Her skin felt feverish; she was being roasted alive in her maid's outfit.

"Hold the napkin against the cut. I'll get some water," Edward said, pressing the napkin into her hand and holding them against her head for a moment. Then he rose and hurried from the room.

She was baking, desperate to cool off. She tossed the napkin - soaked with bright red blotches - to the floor and struggled to remove her dress and undergarment. It was a challenge since her arms didn't always do what she wanted them to, but after a mighty struggle she was finally naked. It would be cooler outside, she decided, but managed just three steps before losing her balance and pitching to the ground again. The floor felt cool against her bare skin so she rolled on her back and panted for air and stared up at the ceiling, which spun in front of her eyes.

Then she heard a noise and turned her head to see Edward standing above her, wet cloth in his hand. His expression was strange. He didn't look angry or disapproving. He didn't look happy either. He was looking down at her and she could see his gaze roaming over her body. He didn't move for a long time, just stared. Part of her felt like she should do or say something but the cool floor felt nice on her flushed skin so she lay still, splayed in front of him.

He crouched beside her and pressed the wet cloth against her forehead. She liked that - it felt cold and she sighed contentedly.

"Hold this against the cut," he said, and she obeyed. The coolness on her face was welcome.

She felt his arms under her again and then she was pressed against his chest as he carried her through the house. The movement created a pleasant breeze on her exposed body. Where were they going? She supposed it didn't matter...he was Young Master and could go anywhere he wanted.

"No more wine for you," he said, and she could see the smile was back. That was good. She liked his smile. It meant he was not displeased.

Suddenly she felt sleepy. She didn't usually sleep so early, but it had been an unusual kind of day so maybe it would be okay, just this once...

**

Ree woke to the scent of maleness. It washed over her, luring her into consciousness.

She opened her eyes, then shielded them against the brightness of the sun glaring through large windows. For a moment she was confused - these weren't her chambers in the cellar! A quick glance around through squinted eyes revealed she was in the guest room, sleeping in the soft bed. It was lucky Master wasn't around - he would surely disapprove of her sleeping outside of her own chambers.

She wasn't wearing her nightclothes; she was naked under the sheets. She frowned as she tried to recall how she'd ended up in such a state. Slowly, the events of last night's dinner seeped back into her awareness. Young Master - Edward - had done many strange things that meal. He was not like Master. Edward did not obey all the Human Rules. Ree found herself eager for his company again.

The scent of him continued to tantalize her and she searched for the source of it. There, next to the bed, his gray, linen shirt hung over a high-backed chair. She slid out of bed, took the garment and brought it to her nose. His scent was strong and mingled with her own. Splotches of dried blood stained the front on the right side. She gingerly touched her head as she recalled her injury, but the wound had scabbed over. Goblins were quick healers. She pressed her face into the shirt and inhaled deeply. A warm ripple spread through her body in response. Her breathing quickened.

She heard approaching footsteps; already she recognized the sound of Edward's gait. There was no fear of him now, only an eager yearning for his presence. She sniffed the shirt again and awaited him.

He froze in the doorway, wearing pantaloons and a loose-fitting, white linen shirt. His eyes were wide in surprise. She could see his gaze travel over her naked body before returning to her face.

"I didn't expect you up this early. Here, drink this," he said, then held out a large glass of water. "It should help with your headache. I hadn't thought you'd down the wine so quickly last night!"

Ree didn't understand; her head felt fine. But she had been told to obey Edward, so she dropped his shirt, took the glass in both hands and drained it in fast, greedy gulps, then offered it back to him.

North200
North200
475 Followers